Lets get rich and buy our parents houses in....TUSCANY

Warning: This post is very long and newsy. I would suggest scanning. 


I just had the most amazing weekend. It feels like a dream almost.

Friday I did what I've been waiting and saving up for all semester: HORSEBACK RIDING EXCURSION! I wrote in my journal before I came here that I wanted to ride a horse and a vespa while I was here. I'm still working on that vespa ride.

Me and my apartmentmate Emily went together. We went through this program called Fun In Tuscany, which sounds super lame but its not. There were nine other girls we didnt know, all of whom were very interesting. First we had an hour long car ride though the countryside, which was beautiful obviously. Then we got to this adorable farm house with the stables. 

 When they began to divvy out the horses, the Italian man who owned the horses kept pointing at me and speaking in rapid italian. The only word I could make out was "brutta," which means ugly.  So I was all like "Is he calling me ugly?" and our guide laughed and said "No, Bruta with one "t" means Brutal, which is the name of your horse."  So I was like "oh fantastic." But they told me her name was a joke because she was so gentle.  Which was true, but she was also very hungry. She tried to eat everything.  The guide kept yelling at me to pull on her reigns and I was trying but it was hard and I really wanted to say "I'm sorry Im not as strong as a frikin horse!"

 Anyways, we had an amazing two hour long ride though vineyards and farmland and beautiful country side. I could not stop smiling the whole time. The weather was perfect, I was finally riding a horse, I was blissfully happy.

This one lady was telling this other girl to "show the horse you're in control. You're the boss." But it wasn't like that with me and Bruta. We had a mutual relationship based on love and trust. She gave me a ride and I gave her a back rub and an apple. (although I think I might have gotten the better end of the deal). But seriously, who do these people think they are? No matter how tame a horse may be it could always buck you off in seconds if he really wanted. Silly humans, always thinking they're in control!

After two hours my bum was ready for a break. We went to this resturant near by and had a delicious 35723857 course Tuscan meal. Then we went to a 13th century castle called  Monteriggioni where we had a little wine tasting before heading home.

Then on Saturday I went back to the Uffizi for the 5th time because I can. After Lexi, Laura, and I took a long walk out to suburban florence to take some pics and get fresh air. 

Then in the evening we did another thing I've been wanting to do: Calcio! In other words, Soccer game! It was Fiorentina vs. Milano. Almost everyone in my program went all together as a big group. It was so so so fun. The people at the game were so excited and so into the game.  Milano is number 3 in the league and Fiorentina is 13, so I expected that we would be defeated pretty easily. But, Fiorentina held there own and it was a scoreless game. But exciting none the less.

you know how it is with me and all the boys...







Yesterday Becky, my roomate, and our friend Ed went to a nearby hilltown called Lucca. It was so cute! So italian. The town was tiny and the whole thing was set up like one big antique market!

We went for a photography festival that was going on. It was so fun because the exhibits were set up in churches and old buildings all throughout the town and it was like a scavenger hunt to find them all. My favorite photographer who exhibited was Kenro Izu. He had so many beautiful photos from the most amazing interesting places all over the world. I want to be his assistant!

Overall, one of the best weekends. I really miss all you guys. I'll see you in 4 weeks!